Chapter 17
Gu Changan frowned, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders.
Jiangdong Industries was their direct competitor in this project. If his company—Changsheng Group—stumbled now, Jiangdong would be the most likely to swoop in and take the prize. But the business world was never so simple. If Fuhua Real Estate was secretly pulling the strings, Jiangdong might not be the true beneficiary after all.
Fuhua had a decent reputation in Jiangcheng, but rumors of financial instability had been swirling for months. Gu Changan hadn't taken them seriously—until now. If they'd just received a fresh capital injection, their power could suddenly surge. And knowing that Fuhua's background was murky at best, Gu Changan couldn't help but feel a growing sense of unease.
"Xixi," he said, his voice low. "Where did you hear this?"
"At Fu Jian's house," Gu Xi replied steadily, meeting his gaze. "I overheard it during a visit."
Gu Changan looked into his daughter's clear, unwavering eyes, and gently patted her head. A wave of pride and tenderness washed over him.
"You've worked hard, Xixi."
Fu Jian—her high school classmate. His father worked at the city's Construction Committee. If there was any place one might hear such internal whispers, it was there.
"This has to be handled carefully," Gu Xi added, her tone unusually firm.
"Yes, yes, my little housekeeper," Gu Changan chuckled, softening the tension. "Leave it to Dad. You go with your mom and get some rest at the hospital."
"Just be careful," Gu Xi said, still worried.
"I know," he replied with a confident smile. "The Gu family fears no one. If things escalate, I'll take it all the way to Beijing."
He was referring, of course, to the Gu family in the capital—a name that carried real weight in the real estate world. Wealthy, powerful, and deeply connected, the Beijing Gu family had long extended their influence far beyond the capital. Gu Changan's tie to them was distant but valuable. Years ago, when he had first tried to make his way in the business world, a document approval had nearly cost him his company. It was then, through a lucky connection, that he met someone from the Gu family—also surnamed Gu—who pulled strings to help him.
Grateful, Gu Changan had sent a generous gift in return, and from that point on, he maintained a cordial relationship with them. Though they shared no close bloodline, the Gu family's umbrella had offered him enough shade to grow safely through the years.
Watching her father speak so proudly, so assuredly, Gu Xi felt a tight ache in her chest.
Dad… if only you knew.
It was that same Gu family who stabbed you in the back. It was them who ruined us—who drove you to prison, and left Mom and me to suffer, powerless and broken.
She couldn't hold back anymore.
"Dad… don't go to the Gu family for help," she said quietly.
Gu Changan paused, stunned by the sudden change in her tone. "Why not?" he asked, frowning. "What's wrong?"
"Check for yourself," Gu Xi said, her voice trembling slightly. "Find out who the new investor in Fuhua is. See if they have any ties to the Gu family."